The Moons of Mars Outtakes from Mars Rising
by ladyrip
Summary: Although Mars Rising is Nessie's story and will be told from her POV, sometimes it helps to see what others around her are thinking. Be sure to read the appropriate chapters of Mars Rising first! Enjoy!
1. One Brand of Trouble

**A/N:** First of all, I have to say thanks to my awesome Muse/beta EchoesofTwilight as always! MWAH, Em!

Second order of business… **Disclaimer:** Same as always: SM owns them, I just imagine the what ifs... Although I own most of the characters you see here. hehe

So this is the first outtake from _Mars Rising_. If you haven't read up through Chapter 5 yet, please go read before you read this outtake. This is actually two outtakes—one from Chapter 4 and one from Chapter 5—from a new POV. Neither of them is long enough to be its own chapter in the main story, nor are they intended to stand alone. _Mars Rising_ is Nessie's story, so she will be telling all of it. However, sometimes it helps to know what others around her are thinking, although if you decide not to read the outtakes, you will still have the whole main story.

Some of you have speculated that the guy from the gas station will be significant in the rest of the story, and you were right. So we hear a little from him in this first outtake. Enjoy!

* * *

LPOV (From "Settling In")

We heard it up the street long before the candy apple red car came into view. The deep-throated rumble made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end, and we all turned to watch it go by. It was a late '80s Monte Carlo SS, the name conspicuous in black block lettering against the glossy bright red. We stared like teenagers as it turned into the station parking lot. It eased up to the pump, and the driver revved it once before killing the engine. When the door opened, I was surprised by the slender arm and tiny hand that poked out from inside.

It was a chick driving.

She closed the door behind her, leaving the keys in the ignition, and set the gas cap on the roof of the car. As she started filling up, Nate and Mike turned back to me.

"Mmmm _mm_," Nate said. "That is _hot_." Mike murmured his agreement, beginning to talk about the car and the probable engine and horsepower. Nate shook his head and said, "I wasn't talking about the car."

Mike turned back around and gave the girl a quick once over. "She's pretty hot," he said, although it was clear that he preferred the car over the driver.

I had to agree with both of them. The car was definitely something to write home about, and the girl had a body that would fuel locker room talk and male fantasies for a whole school year. But she was too young for any of us. She looked only about fifteen—although if she was driving, she had to be at least sixteen. I couldn't help but wonder who the idiot was who let such a little girl loose with a classic Monte like that.

Mike elbowed Nate in the ribs and dared him to go talk to her. Instead, Nate only whistled, and I had to smile at his cowardice. It was typical of him to see a girl he'd like to get with only to chicken out in the end.

Her head snapped up, and she glared at us under the afternoon sun. I watched as she glanced briefly at Nate and Mike, their backs to her. I looked at the car, noting that the tag was brand new but there was a good amount of dirt on the underside. It seemed she didn't stick to paved roads. When I looked back at her, she was staring straight at me, and I couldn't resist running my eyes down her slender frame. She had on tight blue jeans and low-heeled boots that made her feet look tiny. I dragged my gaze back up and couldn't help but notice how her little red top matched the paint on the car and outlined her curves just as closely. She had dark eyes, reddish-brown curly hair, and a clear complexion—despite the blush that stained her cheeks. And when she stretched up to retrieve the gas cap, a sliver of creamy skin showed under the little red shirt.

_Too young,_ I reminded myself. But I couldn't stop myself from teasing her.

"Can you drive it, sweetheart?" I called across the lot.

Nate and Mike laughed. I had to grin when she smiled before sliding into the driver's seat and revving the engine again. She eased over to the exit and then broke the tires loose, smoke streaming out behind her.

I felt my mouth drop open, and I started to rethink whether the Monte was too much for her after all—and whether she was as young as she looked. And that took my mind in a whole other direction.

I found myself hoping that I would see her again… soon.

Nate and Mike started to talk again about the party we had been to the night before and the girls they had hooked up with. I listened with only half an ear, the rumble of the Monte's engine still in my head. I could still make it out, a couple blocks up the street. And then it suddenly cut out.

I had half a mind to jump in my truck and ditch my friends to follow her. I had even straightened up from my position against the hood when I realized how stupid—and desperate—that would look. Especially as young as she probably was. Although I had chased my fair share of girls—most people around here would say _more than my share_—I was in no hurry to get involved with a little girl. Even one as stunning as she was. And I was still reeling a little from my last girlfriend. I knew most people wouldn't consider three weeks long-term, but it was one of my longer relationships.

I stopped myself as Nate and Mike stared at me. "Let's go play pool," I said, covering up my momentary stupidity. They readily agreed, and we piled into my truck to head over to the pool hall.

~ * ~

LPOV (From "Breaking Out")

On Friday night, Tristan and I stopped in at Daisy's Diner for a bite to eat. The burgers at Daisy's were always good, and since Molly had gone back to college, I didn't get quite as many glares from Shirley.

The little bell over the door rang, and a few people turned to see who had walked in. Most of them quickly went back to their conversations; some turned to stare at the clumsy waitress who had just dropped somebody's dinner. She squatted down to pick up the broken plates and ruined food, and I turned to Tristan and said, "I hope she's not _our_ waitress."

He laughed and followed me in and to the table that was farthest from the counter where Shirley usually stayed during the supper rush. Considering the way my relationship with her niece had ended, I wasn't in any hurry to have a conversation with the feisty redhead.

The little waitress was walking away, her arms full of the mess she had made. I drummed an idle beat on the tablecloth, my arms resting on the edge of the table. I caught a glimpse of reddish-brown curls and a trim figure, but she was gone before I really had a chance to get a good look at her.

"So which would be worse?" Tristan asked, glancing around. "The clumsy one or Shirley? 'Cause those are your choices."

"No question," I answered. Without a doubt, I'd rather have my dinner dropped than have to talk to Shirley. I was already rethinking coming to Daisy's. It had definitely been a mistake.

Just then the clumsy little waitress came out from the kitchen with two menus and silverware bundles in her hands. She stopped by one of the tables and told them their food would be out soon before coming over to our table. It took everything I had to keep my mouth from falling open like a teenage kid. I looked down at the menu she had just set in front of me.

It was the chick with the car.

"Hi, I'm Vanessa," she said in a soft musical voice. "Can I get you anything to drink?"

"Two cokes," I said without looking up.

"Coming right up," she said and turned quickly away.

"Hey, did you hurt yourself?" Tristan called after her.

She turned back, blushing, and said, "No, I'm fine."

"I mean when you fell from heaven," Tristan said.

She just smiled, shook her head, and walked away.

"What the hell, Trist?" I smacked his arm.

"What?" he said. "She's hot."

I rolled my eyes. Tristan was as big of a player as I was, but it bothered me that he was flirting with her. I didn't know why it should, but... it still did.

She came back and set the glasses of soda on the table with a smile. Two paper-wrapped straws joined the drinks, and she asked, "Are you ready to order or do you need another minute to decide?"

I looked up at her then, and the sparkle in her eyes took my breath away. They actually sparkled. And when did I become such a girl?

"I'll have a burger and fries, hold the broken plate," I said, unable to resist teasing her. Just like the other day at the gas station.

She laughed and said, "You got it," before turning to Tristan for his order.

"Same for me," he told her.

She nodded and walked away to give our orders to the guys in the kitchen. I wondered idly if Mark and David were still here. Probably, because where else would two losers like them find steady jobs? I had to admit that I was lucky to have the job I had, even though it wasn't what I wanted to be doing. It paid for the things I needed. And it kept me—mostly—out of trouble.

The burgers and fries were just as good as I remembered, and Tristan kept up a steady flow of talk as we ate. I responded whenever he paused, but my attention seemed riveted to the pretty little waitress as she wove her way around the tables, bringing out orders and checking people's drinks. She moved with an ease and confidence that seemed too mature for the fifteen- or sixteen-year-old I had pegged her for, and I began wondering just how old she was. Once or twice, I saw Shirley glaring at me from the corner of my eye, but I refused to make eye contact with her.

The waitress—Vanessa—came back to check our drinks. Tristan swallowed the bite in his mouth, looked up, and asked, "Is your dad a thief?" She scowled at him, and I looked down to try to hide my smile because I knew what was coming next.

Sure enough, Tristan said, "Because he stole the stars and put them in your eyes."

I stifled a laugh, popping another fry in my mouth. Did he even realize what an idiot he sounded like?

She didn't say anything but took our glasses and came back with the refills. Tristan kept his mouth shut this time, and she left again.

"Leave her alone, man," I said.

"What?"

"Give it up."

The next time Vanessa walked by our table, I asked her for a piece of chocolate cake, thinking of how her eyes reminded me of melted chocolate, and Tristan ordered a slice of apple pie. She smiled and brought them back quicker than I had expected. As she set the desserts on the table, Tristan opened his big mouth again.

"Hey, Vanessa, what time do you get off work?"

At least he seemed to have given up on the lame pick-up lines.

"We close at nine," she said, not really answering the question. She glanced at her watch. It was one of those fancy bracelet things, and it looked expensive.

"How would you like to come hang out with me and Luke?" Tristan asked.

She looked over at me, and her cheeks were slightly pink. I took a bite of my cake, and Tristan started in on his pie.

"I don't know," she said.

"C'mon," Tristan urged. "It'll be fun."

She looked like she was thinking about it. I was hoping she would say yes, but if she did, it would be because she liked Tristan. Maybe I'd rather she said no.

"I don't even know you," she finally said.

"So you hang out with us, and you'll get to know us," Tristan said.

I felt her eyes on me. Was she checking to see if I wanted her to come? I could lay it on just as thick as Tristan. Getting girls had never been a problem for me, but there was something different about this one. And I still didn't know how old she was. At first I had thought fifteen. And then sixteen, because of the car. But working here, she had to be at least seventeen; Shirley didn't hire anyone younger than that. And if she was still in high school… that still made her too young. That was one brand of trouble I didn't need to borrow.

I finished my chocolate cake and pulled out my wallet.

"I really need to get home," she said softly.

"You sure?" Tristan pressed, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as I fished out several bills.

_Give it up, man!_

"I'm sure," she said, her voice firmer now. But then she gave him an opening when she added, "I don't even know your names."

"I'm Tristan, and this is Luke."

She stacked up our now empty plates and murmured something about being glad to meet us. And Tristan tried again.

"You still won't come hang with us?"

She shook her head and pulled our check out from the apron tied around her tiny waist, drawing my eyes to her hips. Before she could set it on the table, I reached out my hand and gave her the wad of cash. It would more than cover the check and the tip. She deserved it for putting up with my idiot friend. And just in case she wasn't as young as she looked, I wanted her to have a good impression of me, even though I knew Shirley, who had glared at us—at me—repeatedly over the last hour and a half, would do everything she could to destroy it.

"Keep the change," I said as her fingers closed around the money. "C'mon, Trist," I muttered. "She's not buying what you're selling."

Tristan shook his head, disappointed at his failure to get the girl, and said, "We'll see you around, Vanessa."

We stood to go as Vanessa picked up the plates. And he just couldn't resist one last try, the dumbass.

"I'll be sure to tell God he's missing an angel," he said, winking at her as I grabbed his arm and shoved him toward the door. He just didn't know when to give up.

The bell jingled as we left, and I could swear I felt her eyes on my back. Was she looking at me or just in shock over Tristan's asinine behavior?

* * *

**End Notes:** So what do you think of Gas Station Guy—I mean, Luke? Let me know in your reviews, or come play on my Forum thread at Twi'd. :)


	2. What Are the Odds?

**A/N:** So here's another look inside Luke's head. Make sure you've read _both_ of the party chapters of _Mars Rising_ before you read this. Enjoy!

* * *

**LPOV** (From "Party Animals" & "Uncharted Territories")

I'd had reservations about going to the party. It was at Kristin's house, and I knew she and Molly had been best friends since high school. And even though it was unlikely that we would run into my ex-girlfriend there since she had gone away to college, I was still reluctant to go. But Tristan, Nate, and Mike all wanted to, and I had finally agreed to tag along.

We got there a little before nine, and all of my friends had immediately latched onto some of the hottest-looking girls there. I hung back, not really in the mood to hook up with anyone I had seen just yet. To be quite honest, I was a little tired of flirting with random girls just to see how far we could get. It had been a long time since I'd had a real conversation with a girl. Not since Molly, come to think of it. And even though there was a time when I would've liked to patch things up with her, I knew that was impossible. I had screwed that one up _way_ too much to ever go back there again.

So I stood by myself, leaning against the wall of the house, nursing a Heineken and watching Tristan, Nate, and Mike all grinding to Kidd Rock with their flavors-of-the-night on the patio dance floor.

It was a pleasant night, not too cool and not too warm. Labor Day weekend.

Eventually, I got tired of standing in one place, so I wandered along the edges of the dance floor, occasionally glancing back at my friends. As I looked away again, I caught sight of our hostess, and she glared when she noticed me. I raised my bottle and tipped the neck toward her in a silent salute. She turned toward the open French doors to look into her house, clearly snubbing me.

Whatever.

I wasn't here for her. Come to think of it, I still wasn't sure just why I _was_ here…

The song ended, and the guys led the girls over to the bar to get them drinks. I had just about finished my beer, so I headed that way as well. Halfway there, I felt a hand on my arm and looked down into a pair of bright blue eyes.

"Wanna dance?" asked the tall blonde. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and smiled at me.

"Sure," I said, tossing my empty bottle into a nearby trash can. I led her into the crowd of dancers, my hand on the small of her back. When I stopped, she turned in to me and wrapped her hands around my neck, stretching up on her toes. I set my hands loosely on her hips.

"I'm Candy," she said.

_Let me guess, you're a cheerleader,_ I thought, resisting the urge to roll my eyes.

"Luke," I replied.

She craned her neck back to look at me and asked if I went to the community college.

"No," I said.

"Oh, I thought maybe I'd seen you on campus," she said, and I couldn't hold back my chuckle when she added, "I'm a cheerleader."

"Cool," I lied, hoping that the song would end soon. I didn't want to be completely rude though, so I asked, "What are you studying?"

"Early Childhood Development."

_Future daycare worker?_

"Cool," I said again, still not meaning it.

She chattered through the rest of the song, and I continued to give her one-word responses, not asking any more questions of my own. She was a nice enough girl, but I couldn't see myself spending any significant amount of time with her. I was glad when the song ended, and I told her I needed to go find my friends. I hid my smile as she pouted, and I thanked her for the dance before turning back in the direction of the bar.

I was almost there when I noticed a hand waving above the crowd. The dancing bodies parted enough for me to see that it was Tristan motioning me over to the other side of the dance floor. I hoped he wasn't planning to introduce me to a friend of his latest conquest, but I wove my way through the crowd to see what he wanted. As I got closer, I saw a mass of reddish brown curls beside Tristan.

_Impossible._

Vanessa was here? How did _she_ know Kristin?

"Luke, look who I found!" Tristan's voice carried over the music, and his grin split his face in two.

I saw Vanessa stiffen slightly, and then I noticed who was on the other side of Tristan and froze. The greenest eyes I'd ever seen flashed with the same fire that had been there the last time I'd seen her.

"Molly," I said softly.

"Lucas." Her voice was equally soft, but it sliced through me like icicles.

Tristan, oblivious idiot that he was, just shrugged, shook his head, and said, "I forgot." Then he grabbed the arm of the girl to his left and turned her toward me. "It's Vanessa," he said as if the awkwardness of the moment hadn't just happened.

_No shit. I have eyes, Tristan._

And without any conscious thought, my eyes ran down to her strappy shoes and back over her bare legs, black mini skirt, and clingy purple shirt, right up to her chocolate brown eyes.

"Hi," she whispered almost shyly.

"Hey," I said. There was no way I could talk to her with Molly watching—glaring, actually. I looked back at Tristan and, ignoring both girls, I told him, "I'm gonna grab a beer, Trist. I'll catch up with you later."

With one last glance at Vanessa, I spun on my heel and stalked back toward the bar. Nothing was going to side-track me this time.

I felt a hand touch my arm, but I didn't even turn to see who it was. I just kept walking until I reached the bar.

"Smirnoff," I told the bartender, "and a Heineken."

Downing the shot, I looked back across the dance floor and saw Molly pull Vanessa into the house.

_Shit._

It was difficult to say who I had been more surprised to see: Vanessa or Molly. And what were the odds that they would know each other? It seemed that, because she was here, Vanessa had to be a lot older than I had originally thought. And I was pretty sure—now—that she was out of high school, which put her in range of being fair game. But if she knew Molly that was a moot point because there was very little chance that she would want anything more to do with me—or Tristan, for that matter. Especially if Molly had pulled her aside to warn her about me.

I didn't think she would go into detail, but I was fairly certain she would at least tell her the major points of why we had broken up. And once she heard that, Vanessa would probably run like a bat out of hell if I even came near her.

A couple minutes later, I saw them come back out of the house, skirting their way around the dancers. They seemed to be heading for the bar, taking the long way around. Not wanting to confront Molly again, I took my beer and headed over to some tables and chairs I had seen earlier, thinking that might be a good place to hide until the others were ready to go.

~ * ~

Sometime later—I lost track of just how long—I was still at the table, and Nate and Mike had joined me, having lost their attempted conquests to other party prowlers. Tristan was still out on the patio dancing.

I had almost finished my beer when he came back to our table… with Vanessa in tow. I stared at my nearly empty bottle as he said, "Vanessa, you know Luke."

"Hey," she said, and I nodded silently, frowning at my hands, hoping she didn't think I was a total jerk but unable to look at her for fear of what I would see in her eyes.

Tristan introduced her to the others and then slid into the last empty chair. He wasn't usually that rude, and I was about to give Vanessa my chair when I saw him tug on her wrist before he said suggestively, "Why don't you sit here with me, and we'll talk about the first thing that comes up."

Nate and Mike laughed, and I rolled my eyes. Didn't he ever learn?

"Does that actually work on girls?" Vanessa asked.

I looked up to see her lean her hips against the little metal table rather than take my idiot friend up on his offer. They all laughed, and I had to smile at the fire in her voice.

"I guess not," Tristan said, as the others continued to laugh.

She certainly had spirit.

"Hey," Mike said, leaning in to get a good look at Vanessa's face. "Aren't you the girl with the red Monte?"

She hummed an affirmative answer, and I frowned, remembering how Mike had said she was hot that day we'd first seen her. I kicked him under the table.

"So which of you owns the blue Chevy?" she asked.

_She knows classic cars._

Nate told her it was mine before asking if she owned the Monte.

"I do," she answered and leaned back a bit with her hands on the table top. "My parents gave it to me for graduation."

They all whistled, and I looked up and into her eyes. Had she been watching me the whole time?

I stared at her, trying to figure out just how old she was, and she stared boldly back.

"I'm gonna get another beer," Tristan said, standing up.

"Grab me a Carlsberg," Nate said, and Mike asked for a Bulmer's.

"I'll take another Heineken."

Tristan nodded and turned to Vanessa. "What can I get you, Vanessa?"

She dragged her eyes away from mine and told him she'd like a bottle of water.

"Seriously," he blurted in disbelief.

"Seriously," she repeated firmly.

"You don't like beer, Vanessa?" I asked.

She seemed to stiffen a little, like before, and said, "I don't drink. And it's Nessie."

She had never corrected Tristan when he called her Vanessa. Why me? Why now?

And then he asked the question I had been dying to ask.

"How old are you, Nessie?"

"Nineteen in a week," she said, her gaze sliding toward me.

I felt my eyes widen, and I finished off the rest of my beer. "You don't look it," I told her.

She blushed as she said, "I know. I guess I'm just a late bloomer." And she laughed as she added, "Most of the women in my family look younger than they are."

I scanned over her body once again, allowing myself to fully appreciate the toned shape of her bare legs and the curve of her hips and breasts. Now that I knew how old she was, I didn't feel like I should be locked up just for looking at her. She was still blushing, but she hadn't taken her eyes off me, and I wondered fleetingly if Molly had told her anything at all. If she had, it appeared that Nessie hadn't been swayed by her words. She continued to stare at me, clearly interested, and I felt my resolve to stay away from her slip away.

Tristan turned toward the bar, and I heard him sigh as he walked away. It seemed I wasn't the only one who recognized the look in her eyes.

I set my empty bottle on the table and leaned forward when Nessie laid her hand over mine and bent her body toward me.

"Dance with me?" she asked softly.

I hadn't noticed that the DJ was playing another slow tune, but the opening words of the song drifted over us as I nodded and stood.

_When moonlight crawls along the street  
C__hasing away the summer heat  
__Footsteps outside somewhere below  
__The world revolves, I've let it go_

Nessie slid off the table, and I took her hand to lead her onto the dance floor. I stopped when I reached the edge of the dance floor, not wanting to fight my way into the crowd of dancers. I wrapped my arms around her waist, and hers circled my neck. Her forehead was within reach of my lips, and I had to resist the urge to kiss her there as the singer continued:

_And all I have to do is hold you  
__There's a racing within my heart  
__And I am barely touching you_

I tightened my arms, pulling her slightly closer. She tensed briefly before relaxing into me. We swayed to the slow, sensual beat of the music. Neither of us said anything and, although I couldn't help wondering what she was thinking, I was surprised that the silence was comfortable. I liked the way she didn't feel the need to chatter about idle things. The thought made me smile.

She pulled back a little bit to look up at me, and she returned my smile. After a few beats, she leaned in closer and tightened her arms around my neck.

The song was over before I wanted it to be, and we separated at the same time, although my right hand lingered at her waist. The next song was a much faster beat, and Nessie moved to leave the dance floor when a soft, deep voice stopped her with her name.

She turned around to face a tall Native American man. "Jake!" she said, with a huge smile. "There you are."

"Hey, are you ready to go?" he asked.

She looked back at me and bit her lower lip. A little crease puckered in the center of her forehead before she turned back to him to ask what time it was.

"It's almost one thirty," he answered.

"Okay," she said reluctantly. "I'll meet you at the front door," she added in a tone that dared him to argue with her.

He frowned a little but nodded, and his eyes flickered to mine before he turned to go.

"I can take you home later," I said, offering her an option to stay.

"I'm driving," she said. "Besides, my parents will be expecting me home soon. I think we've stayed longer than Jake planned anyway."

"Who _is_ Jake?" I asked, not adding, _Your boyfriend?_

He certainly had looked at her as if he were—

"A good friend of my family's. I grew up with him."

_Ah. Sent along to protect her from creeps like me?_

She glanced over her shoulder, and I followed the direction of her gaze. Jake was standing in the open doorway leading into the house, staring intently at us—at Nessie.

"I need to go," she said, looking back at me and starting to move toward the door.

"Can I see you again?" I asked, although I hadn't really intended to say that.

She nodded, still moving toward the house—and Jake.

"You know where to find me," she said with a smile.

Yeah, but I wasn't going in there again if I could avoid it. Especially not after running into Molly again tonight.

"Can I call you?"

"Sure," she said.

She was still easing away from me, so I began to walk with her, around the patio toward the doors. As we walked, I pulled out my cell phone and typed her name in my contacts list.

"What's your number?" I asked.

She told me the seven digits, and I keyed them in, promising, "I'll call you tomorrow."

She smiled at me as we reached the doorway. "Thanks for the dance, Luke."

"My pleasure," I said.

She blushed slightly and waved as she disappeared inside the house.

With Jake.

* * *

**A/N:** First of all, I am _not_ downing daycare workers in any way. One of my best friends was a daycare worker, and I have the highest respect for people who can care for other people's little ones all day long! But apparently, Luke doesn't. :(

Second, thanks to icecoldhamster for the names of the beers and other drinks. I don't drink alcohol, so I'm clueless about this kind of thing. So, thanks, hammy! :)

Anyway... So they've talked, they've danced, and he's got her number. Thoughts? Opinions? Speculations?


	3. I'm Not Your Bodyguard

**Author's Note:** So you all probably thought I fell off the planet, right? Not so... just got caught up in end-of-semester testing and getting ready for the new semester. This first year teacher gig is really something!

Anyway... Thanks to EchoesOfTwilight (the ultimate author's Muse!) for holding my hand on this one. I was a little worried about getting the voice right, but she assured me it passes muster, so...

Get ready to hear from Jake...

(All the usual disclaimers... recognizable characters, etc. belong to SM; the original stuff is mine.)

* * *

JPOV (From "Party Animals" & "Uncharted Territories")

I was glad Ness had asked me to come to the party with her. I knew Edward wanted to be there to watch over her, but it was obviously not for high school students, which he and Bella were supposed to be. It was a little heavy-handed of him, though, to tell her to take me. It was obvious he was struggling with her growing up. I had to admit I wasn't completely comfortable with it myself. I looked forward to the party with mixed feelings.

I got to the diner right at nine and met Molly… and Shirley, who served me probably the best apple pie à la mode I'd ever tasted. I had finished the pie with a last hum of satisfaction when I heard her laugh behind me.

I turned around and nearly fell off my stool.

I had never seen her dressed like she was that night. The short black skirt showed a lot of leg, stopping halfway down her thighs. And the purple shirt with long, floaty sleeves and a neckline practically down to her waist… Thank God she'd decided to layer it with something black underneath.

Nessie was growing up.

I already knew that. It was more and more obvious every day. She had long ago lost any lingering baby fat in her face and waistline. And she was as tall as Bella. I had seen all of this over the last few weeks. But it hadn't really hit me until that moment.

She was a woman.

From the moment of her birth, she had been everything to me. She always would be. And she was about to go to a party where every other man there would be ogling her and thinking the same thoughts—and probably worse—that I was suddenly thinking. Thoughts I'd never had about her before.

I wasn't sure I could do it.

I pulled myself together enough to say good-bye to Shirley, and she locked the door behind us. Molly started off down the sidewalk while Ness and I stopped at her Monte Carlo.

She held out her hand palm up. I stared at it for a second and said, "I thought you said I could drive tonight."

I sounded like a whiney child, and she reminded me that she had said I could pick her up, not that I would be driving to the party. Whatever.

I gave her the keys and we got in the car.

When Ness gunned the engine, Molly whipped around, her eyes wide with amazement. The Monte definitely was _not_ a typical girl car.

I grinned as Molly asked if it belonged to Ness. She smiled and nodded. Although she never sought it on purpose, I knew that Nessie secretly enjoyed the attention she got from her car. She had shown me the guys at the gas station a few weeks ago and how they had gaped when she broke the tires loose, leaving behind a trail of smoke and burnt rubber.

I smiled at the memory.

And then Molly said, "Wow! Nice. You'll be popular with the guys."

I knew she was referring to the Monte Carlo, but her words echoed my earlier thoughts, and I felt my smile slip into a scowl. There was no question that Ness was going to be popular. She had the whole package. She was intelligent, articulate, funny, compassionate, and probably the most beautiful woman in the world. Not that I was biased or anything.

And now we were headed to a party where I would have to watch guys flirt with her and dance with her, and I would have to act like it didn't matter. I would have to not behave like a jealous brother/father/boyfriend. And which of those did she need from me? For the first time since she was born, I was uncertain of my place in her life. My frown deepened.

"Cut it out," she said, breaking into my thoughts as she pulled onto the street to follow Molly.

"What?" I asked, slightly confused.

"Stop frowning at me."

Of course, she had noticed. I kept quiet and folded my arms over my chest.

She frowned back at me. "You can walk home right now if you're gonna act like that, Jake." I still didn't say anything. "This is supposed to be fun," she said. "Is that your party face?"

I gave her my best Cheshire cat grin, but the scowl crept back in.

"What's wrong?"

I couldn't explain it to her. She wasn't ready to hear it. Not yet.

"Your friend wasn't kidding," I said quietly, opting for a part of what was bothering me.

She quirked an eyebrow at me.

"You _will_ be popular with the guys… and not just because of your car," I told her. Even though I was going to be there with her, she still needed to be on her guard in case anyone tried to take advantage of her. It was her first party, after all. I was a little unprepared for her response.

"Are you channeling Edward or something?" she asked suspiciously. "What happened to 'I know you can handle yourself'?"

"I know you can," I said, "but—"

"No 'but.' You're going to this party as my friend, not my bodyguard."

"I know, but—"

"Jacob…" She tried to sound menacing.

I took a deep breath, exhaling loudly as I stared at her across the car.

"I mean it," she said. "I'll stop and kick you out of this car if you don't cut it out."

What could I say to that? I knew she would try. And right now, even though I was trying to figure out how to deal with this whole new set of protective feelings, it seemed that she really needed me to be her supportive best friend right now. So I nodded, even managing to smile just a little bit.

"What?" she asked, noticing the smile.

"Molly was right about something else," I told her. "You _do_ look fantastic, Ness."

She grinned at me. "Thanks. I thought it was too dressy, but Alice insisted."

"Leave it to Tinkerbell," I teased, rolling my eyes and trying to lighten the mood. She pulled up next to Molly's Corolla in front of a huge house with cars scattered all over the lawn.

_Here goes nothing,_ I thought as we got out and walked up to the front door.

~ * ~

As soon as we walked in the door, a busty brunette latched onto my arm and dragged me outside to the dance floor. I barely had time to glance at Ness to gauge if she would be okay without me. She just smiled, though, sticking close to Molly. I figured she'd be okay for the length of one song.

I tried to relax as the dark-haired girl wound her arms around my neck and smiled up at me in a way I assume was supposed to be seductive. It was actually kind of funny. Almost as funny as Tristan's lame pick-up lines. I hated to disappoint her, but— No, actually, I didn't.

The music changed, and I pulled her arms free from my neck, thanking her for the dance. I ignored her pout and turned around to look for Nessie and Molly. I figured by now they would probably be out on the patio which was serving as the dance floor. Before I could find them, a pretty blonde stepped in front of me and asked me to dance. I didn't want to be rude, so I shrugged and let her put her hands on my shoulders. She wasn't quite as tall as the last girl and couldn't reach up to my neck.

"I'm Kristin," she said, her voice raised to reach over the loud music. It really wasn't necessary for her to shout, but she couldn't know that my hearing was better than most.

"Jake," I said.

She repeated my name and then asked me a series of questions about myself: where I went to school, where I worked, what I did for a living… all the usual small talk. Somewhere in the middle of her interrogation, I felt like I was being watched. When I looked up, I saw Ness and Molly staring at me from the bar. Molly was sipping a Barcardi Breezer, and Ness had a bottle of water. I had wondered if she would take advantage of this opportunity to try a little liquor. Didn't look like it.

She smiled at me, and I smiled back before returning to Kristin's twenty questions.

The song finally came to its end, and I thanked Kristin for the dance and slid her hands from my arms. She smiled weakly at me, recognizing my dismissal of her. At least she had the grace not to pout.

I made my way toward the bar where I had seen Ness and Molly, but before I got there, I felt a hand on my arm. Rolling my eyes and stifling a sigh, I looked down to see Nessie's new friend, her blue eyes shining under the dim patio lights.

"You wanna dance, Jake?" she asked, glancing over at Ness and back to me.

Jeez, what was with all these girls? I wasn't the only guy around. But this was Nessie's friend, and I couldn't be rude to her.

I looked in the direction of the bar and saw Nessie leaning against it, sipping her water. She smiled and mouthed, _Go on._

So I danced again.

Molly kept up a steady stream of chatter, although I had to admit it wasn't as annoying as the first girl's staring—I never did catch her name—or Kristin's questions. She was a nice girl, funny and cute. And she seemed to have gotten over whatever had kept her practically silent while we were at the diner waiting for Nessie to change.

I kept looking over at the bar where Ness still stood. About halfway through the song, she let someone lead her onto the dance floor, and I smiled as I saw her position her hands so he couldn't pull her in close. I turned back to concentrate on what Molly was saying.

When the song changed, I said, "I should probably go find Nessie."

She shook her head and replied, "She's probably dancing by now. Stay with me."

Realizing that she was probably right and that Ness wouldn't appreciate me breaking into her party time, I decided that one more dance with Molly couldn't hurt. We swayed to the slow beat of the music, and I wondered briefly if our hostess—whoever she was—had told the DJ to only play slow songs. This made the fourth in a row since we'd been here.

As the song ended and we separated, I felt Molly stiffen as she looked somewhere behind me. She said through gritted teeth, "Why don't you go get Nessie another bottle of water? I need to go talk to someone."

I searched her face, wondering what was wrong, but she looked determined, and I figured I should let her take care of whatever she needed to. So I let her go and wound my way through the crowd to the bar to get another bottle of water for Ness and a drink for myself. Thanks to my somewhat abnormal height, I was able to keep an eye on Molly who had headed straight for Nessie and … who else, but Mr. Lame-Pick-up-Lines himself.

It was obvious that Molly was upset, but I couldn't figure out why. They were too far away to hear the conversation over the loud music. I looked from Ness to Molly and back again. Molly was still upset, and Nessie seemed to be as confused as I was. And then Tristan motioned to someone, and I followed his gaze and saw a slight break in the crowd as the other guy who had come into the diner that evening made his way over to the three of them. I followed him all the way there and watched Nessie's mouth fall open—had she gasped?—when she recognized him. He gave her a very thorough once-over yet barely responded when she spoke to him, but the blush on her cheeks and the shy smile on her lips were unmistakable.

My Nessie had a crush on the human.

I couldn't stop the low growl that came from deep in my throat, and the next thing I knew there was water all over the ground and the plastic bottle was a twisted mess in my fist. I forced myself to relax and breath slowly, refocusing on Nessie and Molly. But they weren't there anymore.

My eyes darted around, looking for the two girls. I chucked the crushed bottle in a nearby trash can and walked around the dance floor toward some tables and chairs. And then I saw them come out of the house, skirting around the other side of the crowd of dancers, heading for the bar. Molly still looked upset, and Ness seemed worried about something. I watched, not sure if I should join them, as Molly ordered two shots of vodka, slinging the first one back and sipping the second. I decided not to interfere but just watched them to make sure they would be okay.

After several more dances, I realized that it must be getting pretty late. We had promised Edward and Bella that we'd be home no later than two, so I went to find Ness. I had already told Molly that we needed to head home, and she said she was staying to chat with her friend Kris, who happened to be our hostess tonight, and asked me to tell Ness she'd catch up with her the next day.

The music went from slow to fast as I finally found Ness… stepping away from Tristan's friend, Luke. He started to lead her away from the house, his hand on her waist.

"Ness," I called, just loud enough that she would hear me.

She turned, smiling. "Jake! There you are," she said.

"Hey, are you ready to go?"

She bit her lower lip and spun around toward what's-his-name.

"What time is it?" she asked, barely glancing at me.

"It's almost one thirty," I told her.

"Okay," she said reluctantly. And then her tone changed. Dramatically. She sounded almost bossy as she told me, "I'll meet you at the front door." It was as if she was daring me to argue with her.

My eyes flicked over the man, who still hadn't taken his hand off her waist. I just barely controlled the growl this time, but I couldn't keep my hands from shaking. It had taken a few years to really get control over my phasing, but sometimes—especially if I was taken by surprise—it was more difficult to keep from bursting out in fur. But I reminded myself that the wolf me wasn't what Nessie needed right now. And even though I didn't know or trust this human, I would let her say goodbye in private. Sort of.

I could feel the scowl on my face as I nodded. I hoped he thought I was glaring at him. Because I _was._ And I really hoped he would see it as the warning it was meant to be.

As I turned away, I heard him say, "I can take you home later."

Some people just can't take a hint.

Walking toward the house was the hardest thing I've ever done. But I did it. I stood just inside the doorway and eavesdropped on their conversation.

"I'm driving," Ness said, adding, "Besides, my parents will be expecting me home soon. I think we've stayed longer than Jake planned anyway."

That was for sure!

"Who _is_ Jake?" he asked, and I could hear the jealously in his voice from ten feet away.

I waited to hear what Nessie would say.

"A good friend of my family's," she told him. "I grew up with him."

He exhaled, and the jealous tension seemed to leave his shoulders. Ness turned to look behind her, and our eyes met before she turned back to him and said, "I need to go."

She had started walking toward the door when he stopped her by asking if he could see her again.

_Over my dead body…_

I felt my fists clench when I saw her nod and say, "You know where to find me." Even though her back was turned, I could hear the smile in her voice. She really seemed to like his guy although I couldn't see why.

"Can I call you?" he asked.

"Sure," she said, taking another step toward me.

He took out his phone and asked, "What's your number?"

She gave it to him, and he keyed it in, saying, "I'll call you tomorrow."

_Wait 'til Edward finds out!_

They were just outside the doors now. I could reach out and touch her arm, they were so close.

"Thanks for the dance, Luke," she said, her voice soft and almost shy-sounding.

"My pleasure," he whispered, and I could imagine the smile she must be wearing.

She waved good-bye to him, stepping over the threshold toward me. But then I saw her lean back toward him.

"Ness," I whispered. For a second, I thought she was going to run outside and call him back. And then she turned to face me. "Let's get going," I said, circling her wrist with my fingers and starting to walk toward the front door.

"Wait. What about Molly?"

"I told her we needed to go. She said she'll call you when she wakes up; she wants to catch up some more with Kris."

We made it to the Monte, and I opened her door for her before going around to the passenger's side. I got in and asked, "So who's Luke?" although I sort of already knew. What I was _really_ asking was, _Who is he to _you_?_

She stared at me as she turned the key in the ignition. "How do you know his name?"

I raised an eyebrow at her. Surely she knew I had heard their little conversation…

"I heard you thank him for the dance," I said matter-of-factly. Her eyes widened just the tiniest bit before I added, "And Molly mentioned it."

She winced as she started to back down the driveway. "Yeah?" she mumbled.

I hummed a response, and she asked, "Did she say anything else about him?"

What _had_ Molly said while we danced that last time? Oh, yeah… _His name is Luke… my jerk of an ex-boyfriend._ I debated whether or not to tell Nessie that, but I really wanted to hear how _she_ felt about him, so I just said, "Just that they used to go out. But she seemed kind of upset about it."

"Really?" she asked anxiously. Maybe a little _too_ anxiously.

"Yeah," I said, wanting to say more. So maybe I _should_. "I'm guessing it was fairly recent," I told her. "She didn't seem like she was totally over him yet."

Ness didn't look at me when she said, "Hmm. Maybe she'll tell me more tomorrow."

"So how do _you_ know him?" I asked, determined to get some information out of her.

Her tone was a little reluctant when she said, "He came into the diner one evening, _Dad_."

Huh. I guess I _was_ coming on a little too strongly. But this was _Nessie_. And she had no experience where guys were concerned. After all, she wasn't even six years old yet. And I knew from my conversation with Molly that this Luke guy was almost twenty-one. So I asked, "Isn't he a little old for you?"

"I have no idea," she said sarcastically. "Just what _is_ too old for me?"

I just stared at her. What could I say? She might be young in human years, but mentally she was so much older. On the flip side, although she acted like a young adult, she still had very little experience of the world in general. I suppressed a sigh and continued to stare out the windshield.

And then it occurred to me that I was jealous… and completely hypocritical. Luke and I were about the same age. If _he_ was too old for her, then so was I. So I couldn't really say anything.

"So what do you think of Molly?" she asked out of the blue.

"She's nice," I said, not sure why she was asking.

"You two danced a lot."

"I guess so."

Where was she going with this?

"Did you ask her out?"

"No!" I practically yelled.

"Are you going to?" she asked.

_What?_

I shook my head. "No. Why?"

"She likes you," she said.

Huh.

_Really?_

"I think you should ask her out."

"I don't," I said shortly, hoping she would stop.

She didn't.

"Why not? You said yourself she's nice."

I turned to stare at her. Just because I said the girl was _nice_ she thought I was supposed to ask her out?! I had no idea what to say to that.

"She asked me about you," Ness said when I stayed silent. And then she told me that Molly had asked if I was gay. Because I'd never had a girlfriend.

All I could do was shake my head and laugh.

"I don't need a girlfriend right now," I whispered. Not until she was ready for me anyway…

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't date at all," she insisted. "Nobody says you have to have a girlfriend. But I've never seen you date anyone." _Let it go, Ness._ "And there were plenty of girls at that party tonight who would've killed to—"

"Let it go," I said out loud. Thank God we were finally home.

Nessie looked over at me and cut the engine. She opened her door and asked if I was okay.

"Yeah," I answered, trying not to slam my door. "I just don't want to talk about it."

She shrugged and said, "Okay."

I was suddenly hungry, so I turned and headed for the kitchen, hoping she really would drop this weird, uncomfortable subject. She kept walking to check in with her parents, and I heard their soft, murmuring voices accompanied by Edward playing the lullaby he wrote for Bella. I opened the fridge and hauled out all the makings of a really excellent sandwich and scattered them across the countertop. Edward stopped playing, and I heard Ness say, "It was so silly. That's just the way he is. It's harmless really." I blew out a harsh breath, trying to keep my thoughts focused on my sandwich, because I knew she would never forgive me if I let my thoughts drift a certain way where Edward could pick up on them.

I knew she struggled with her dad being able to hear everything she was thinking. It used to really bother me, too. The lack of privacy was… annoying, to say the least. But I had gotten used to it over the years, learning to think of other things when I didn't want him to hear something in my head. It had never seemed to bother Nessie. But now…

Now it seemed like she had something she _didn't_ want him to know about. And it must be really difficult for her to consciously keep him out of her head. I remembered the time she dreamed about going on a date with Luke and how Edward had freaked about that, playing funeral marches in the early morning. I could only imagine how he would react to know that this guy now had his daughter's phone number… and planned on using it. So I kept my thoughts neutral, thinking about how hungry I was and about all the things I was stacking on my monster sandwich.

Bella told Edward to keep playing. He started the song again, but it wasn't like normal. He was obviously still tense about something. I heard Bella tease Ness about all the guys she had danced with. And then Nessie laughed and said, "Not as popular as Jake was with the girls."

I growled and focused on making my hands stop shaking. Apparently she just wasn't going to let that one go. I started putting all the food away and had just finished when Bella said, "So it looks like you both had fun."

I slammed the refrigerator door harder than I meant to. I had not had as much fun as Nessie obviously had. I had danced with all those girls to be polite and not draw undue attention to myself. I had done it for her, to make the evening go more smoothly for her. And she was laughing about it.

She said goodnight to her parents, and I heard her footsteps retreat upstairs.

I took my sandwich into the living room and clicked on the TV. Maybe I could lose myself in some random, mindless show about people whose lives didn't matter to me. I focused on my food, letting the sounds from the TV wash over me, not really taking any of it in.

A few minutes later, I heard footsteps, and Bella sat down beside me.

"So," she said.

"Don't ask."

"Wasn't going to."

"Mm hmm."

We sat like that for a few minutes, both of us staring at the TV not really seeing it. At least I wasn't.

"Are you okay?" she asked at the next commercial break.

"I'm good."

She looked at me, her strange, golden eyes almost glowing in the light from the TV.

"You can talk to me if you—"

"I'm good," I said again. I stood up and flipped off the TV. "I think I'll go for a run," I said, setting the remote carefully on the coffee table.

Bella sighed and touched my arm. I hadn't even seen her stand up.

"It's okay, Bells."

I touched her cheek lightly, and she squeezed my arm.

I was out the door a few seconds later, pulling my clothes off when I reached the edge of the trees. I phased as soon as I was hidden in the forest. And I ran.

I ran until I was far enough away that I didn't need to guard my thoughts anymore, and I thought about the whole evening, replaying every moment in my head, sifting through the thoughts and emotions I hadn't allowed myself to dwell on before now. I didn't like it… watching my Nessie with other guys. In fact, I _hated_ it.

But this was what she needed. And I would be _whatever_ she needed.

I lay down on a pile of pine needles, soft and scratchy at the same time. It was as good a place as any to rest. I doubted I would get much sleep tonight anyway. But at least here, I could let my thoughts drift and not worry about betraying her….

* * *

**End Note:** So how do _you_ think Jake should've handled that?


	4. Visions

**A/N:** My first ever drabble! For my Muse and beta, EchoesofTwilight (Em). Just a little something for Beta Appreciation Day… You know how much I treasure your thoughts, your encouragement, and your talents! 3 MWAH!

Just a little peek inside Dadward's head from _Mars Rising, _Chapter 6…

* * *

"Really?" she asked, a quaver in her voice.

"Yes," I answered, seeing it all again.

Visions of her long auburn hair falling softly around her shoulders as she laughed at something the boy said. Her hand raising, bringing the spoonful of frozen chocolate to her lips. Her lips twisting slightly as she swallowed the ice cream. His lips forming innocuous words to tease her, to attempt to learn her secrets.

She questioned, and I told her what she wanted to know.

Until that moment, I hadn't suspected just how far she might go to be normal, to grow up.

_Don't!_


End file.
